


Pretty Great

by CatrinaSL



Series: Three Things [103]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Aquariums, Birthday Party, Cake, F/M, First Dates, First Meetings, Juggling, M/M, Multi, OT3, Octopus, Polyamory, SHIP DARCY LEWIS WITH ALL THE THINGS, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Three Things, hermit crabs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-27 01:55:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13870641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatrinaSL/pseuds/CatrinaSL
Summary: Darcy goes to a birthday party with her brand new Soulmate Sam for their first date. It's pretty great, but she's still nervous about the fact that his other Soulmate is attending...





	Pretty Great

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SandyLeeAnn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SandyLeeAnn/gifts).



> SandyLeeAnn prompted Octopus, juggling, hermit crabs.
> 
> Thanks to Zephrbabe for the ot3 and to SerialObsessor (ibelieveinturtles) for her beta skills!
> 
> Soulmate AU Reminder: Everyone has a Soulmark, a tattoo of the first words their Soulmate will say to them. Showing someone else your Soulmark is like baring your soul to them, so most people only show their Soulmate or very trusted friends.

Sam reached over to take Darcy's hand as they stood in front of the octopus tank. She smiled and laced their fingers together, and he grinned.

"This is a pretty great first date," she told him.

"Is it because of the hermit crabs?" he asked.

Darcy laughed. "Definitely. Whose birthday party is this, again?"

"Jake's," Sam told her. "He was a Make-a-Wish kid that wanted to meet Tony a couple of years ago. We've just kind of all showed up for his birthday parties ever since. He's a great kid; an honorary Avenger."

"That's awesome," Darcy said.

Sam nodded and tugged her over toward the cake table, but Darcy's attention was caught by the juggler. He was laughing with Steve and a kid who was likely the birthday boy as he tossed six balls into the air, keeping them aloft with what Darcy could only guess was experience, skill, or possibly magic.

Darcy accepted a paper plate and a plastic fork and leaned her shoulder against Sam's as they ate their cake.

She blew out a breath to calm down as she ran her eyes across the assembled guests. Sam's other Soulmate was in attendance, but she was too nervous about meeting him to enjoy the party, even though it was at the aquarium, which was one of her favorite places. She was so nervous, in fact that it had been hard for her to enjoy the hermit crabs.

Darcy and Sam had met two days previously in Tony Stark's lab. She knew he was her Soulmate before he opened his mouth. They spent the day talking, and learned that they were both double Marked. She'd asked him not to tell her who his other Soulmate was, but that was after he'd already let slip that he was going to be at this birthday party.

She wondered who it was. She wondered if he would like her. She wondered if when she met her other Soulmate, all four of them would get along. She wondered if Sam would like her other Soulmate (whenever they decided to show up). She wondered if fate was going to introduce her to her other Soulmate at this kid's birthday party. 

She wasn't  _ hoping _ . Just wondering.

"You okay?" Sam asked. "You've just been staring at your cake for the last three minutes. It's good, I promise."

Darcy laughed and scooped up a forkful. "I'm fine," she assured him. "I'm just nervous."

The juggler across the room demonstrated his skill by tossing the birthday boy's hat up with the balls he was juggling. He was rewarded with laughter and applause from the group of kids surrounding him.

"Nothing to be nervous about," Sam told her.

"Yeah, there is," Darcy argued, pausing before another bite of cake. "Your Soulmate is here somewhere. What if he hates me?"

"He's not gonna  _ hate _ you," he assured her, sliding his arm around her waist and giving her a reassuring squeeze. "He couldn't. You're you, and you're mine."

Darcy let out a long sigh. "You're right," she decided, resting her head on Sam's shoulder. She took a cleansing breath and finished her cake. "Okay. I'm ready for penguins."

"Right this way, my lady," Sam said, ushering her toward the penguin zone.

It appeared that the whole party was moving in that direction. A few dozen kids crowded in front of Darcy, their faces pressed against the glass while they watched the penguins swim. The guest of honor advanced on Steve's shoulders, tossing balls for the juggler to catch and add to his routine.

Darcy watched Jake turn his attention from the juggler to the penguins diving into the water. Sam had been pressed into service as a perch by one of the other kids, so Darcy sidled over to the juggler, who was still doing his thing.

"How do you do that?" she asked. "Magic?"

His eyes went wide with surprise and he faltered, then recovered before everything he had up in the air fell to the ground. Then he carefully turned, grinning at her.

"Nah," were the Words traced across her shoulder blade. "Practice makes perfect."

He continued to smile as Darcy's mouth fell open. "Are you... by any chance...?" she attempted to say.

"Fate?" he suggested.

"No, I mean, are you—"

"So you two met," Sam observed, snatching one of the balls out of the air. Darcy's Soulmate moved to compensate for its absence, barely missing a beat.

"Is he—?" Darcy began.

"Darcy, this is Bucky, my Soulmate," Sam said, stepping over and putting his arm around her again. "Bucky, Darcy."

Bucky grinned and let the balls bounce all over the place. Kids nearby went diving for them like penguins for fish.

"Sam," he said, "This is my Soulmate, Darcy. Darcy, Sam."

Sam looked from Darcy to Bucky and back. "We're—" he began.

"Together," Darcy finished.

"Soulmates," Bucky added.

"You were right," Sam told Darcy as Bucky stepped closer to pull both of them into a hug. "This  _ is _ a pretty great first date."

**Author's Note:**

> [Prompt a Three Things fic!](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7S2MbkK0CxVHMG3kF8CD6fYqD0zwY-J6MqLb21nmFyRpE4w/viewform)
> 
> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/171528202193/pretty-great)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


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